Guide to Troubleshooting 3 Potential Retractable Awning Problems

If you want to create a comfortable space outdoors for entraining guests or just to enjoy some solitude outside, then installing an awning is an excellent idea. But instead of choosing a stationary awning, you may want to choose the retractable variety due to the myriad of advantages they provide, particularly the enhanced control you have over the degree of shade that you need. Nevertheless, as with all motorised appliances, retractable awnings can develop issues that can make it challenging to enjoy your time outdoors, shaded from the scorching sun rays. Fortunately, knowing the typical issues can go a long way toward fixing them and avoiding needing severe repairs. Below is a concise guide to troubleshooting potential retractable awning problems.

Unusual noises when operating the awning

When you begin to notice weird sounds, especially cracking noises, it usually implies that the brackets of the retractable mechanism are not tightened properly. To investigate this, check whether the awning's torsion bar is installed flush against its mounting bracket. If there is a little bit of space, you should tighten the bolt to ensure that the lip located inside the mounting bracket is situated above the torsion bar. You could also have your awning contractor come and carry out any tightening that you require, and this should stop creaking noises when retracting or opening the awning.

The awning fabric is sagging

When you overextend the awning's arms, it leads to the fabric starting to sag. Sagging is never good because it makes it easier for debris to start accumulating on your awning. And when you retract the awning, the debris can cause damage to the awning's mechanics. To fix this, you should attempt to reverse crank the awning until the fabric becomes taught. Make sure that the fabric is rolling over the awning's roller tube rather than below it, as this can also cause issues with the tautness of the fabric. If the reverse cranking does not help, it is vital to call an awning contractor to come to fix the problem.

The motor is not working

If you are trying to either extend the awning or retract it and find that the motor goes off, it could be an issue with overheating. Most motorised awnings have an inbuilt thermal mechanism that functions to stop the awning from retracting or opening when the motor is overheated. So if you have been opening and closing the awning for a prolonged period, perhaps to achieve the perfect degree of shade, then the motor could shut down spontaneously. The best thing to do to fix this issue is to give the motor sufficient time to cool down and then try to operate the awning.

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